Alec Ounsworth: Clap Your Hands Say “LIVE!”

A summation could be used in considering the lyrical work of Alec Ounsworth, both of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and his soon to be tried solo work, a man whose cryptic writing is entrusted with the same sorts of struggles and imperatives that come from unwanted fear and crippling degrees of curiosity/non-curiosity (because really, no one wants to see) to see how society will eventually tear everyone from their limbs and just what the aftermath could look like once the limbs are swept away for good. Ounsworth is known for that nasally dry and exploratory voice and for his former (?) band’s great success without ever having signed up to work with the machine – instead fulfilling orders for its debut full-length by packing and mailing all of the requests themselves. He’s known for his circuitous ideas and imagery-heavy thoughts, squealed out with fascinating, decorative cadences and mysterious drawling and near-mumbling that draw you in even more, forcing your intent until you’re hanging from every word and trying to inhale them. He gives his words such serrated edges, allowing them interesting mobility and access and power, as if they can trigger things that were unknown.

These past few weeks I’ve been partaking in bite-sized pieces this latest work: Slow Trauma by the musician known as Bill Mallonee. The Big Sky Ramblers is the current name of all who record and perform alongside him. These days it is mostly Bill and his kind bride, Muriah Rose. This release – yes I have […]

Excellent intro to the work of Bill Mallonee and and his ever changing but never less than excellent musical cohorts in this thing called: Magic, Life, Pain, Confession and sometimes fleetingly, but ultimately permanent Joy. Oh, and great folk-rock to bring a smile to your face through wit, and road weary wisdom, even if flavored with a […]

Beautiful Christmas music to play as an instrumental backdrop to reading your current book or wrapping presents for a loved one; or simply considering the love and majesty of the one true King. God bless you and may each of you find your true love in the one Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior.Filed under: Music […]

The Ocean Blue are currently celebrating the new vinyl reissues of their three Sire Records albums with a tour where they’re playing their self-titled 1989 debut album and 1991’s Cerulean in full. That tour is in NYC tonight (11/19) for a sold-out show at Mercury Lounge. All tour dates are listed below. We’ve got the […]

hello I feel the same is an album of eleven new songs, available to pre-order now on CD, digital download, or translucent green vinyl. Available for pre-order from iTunes on September 23. Available in your local record shop on October 16. Filed under: Music

Originally released on “Surrounded By Lights” in 2008. Here is the new improved version. This is one of my favorite original songs to date. I just had to make some serious adjustments so this song could be what it was meant to be. Thanks for listening. credits Jesse Sprinkle: Vocals, Guitars, Piano, Drums, and Percussion […]

FREE DOWNLOAD One of Mr. Larry Norman’s songs I really liked. The Jesus Movement of the 70’s held “the Rapture” as a tenet of faith. They were simple, passionate about their faith in Christ’s Resurrection, atonement and Second Coming. I dunno what I think about the doctrine of eschatology anymore as far as a chronology […]

Love this one – truly epic. ADAGIO words/music by: bill mallonee it all showed up fractured it all showed up broke it was never a story more like an unfinished note and the sighs? they were deafening more than pictures could show adagio from WPA 18​/​HEAVEN IN YOUR HEART, released 04 July 2013 Bill: guitars, […]

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Music That Makes a Difference to Me

While carefully and passionately crafted art is highly sought after by this reviewer and music lover, there has to be more, much more to make it special. Music to be lasting and to truly take root must have something deeper. The music by itself or the music with vocals must speak to a longing or a need within me, acknowledged or suppressed.

The music that touches me the deepest is that which speaks of longing, seeking and most important: the revealing and unraveling of one broken life to another.

Hey, we're all a mess and need help from each other and from God. We can't go through this alone; we need the light cast dimly from one another to see the path before us and guide us to the true light.